Alice hadn't joined Lory like she had written she would. Anne hadn't dared to ask about it, as that would mean confessing that she had read the letter. Guilt had eaten her up while she joined her sister and her family to watch Tobias and her father and brother, but at least she was by Alice's side.

Hey, Mr. Nate Appleton was participating too! Anne found herself quietly rooting for him and his - ew, Noah. No, she rooted just for him. The sea could take Noah on their way!

Oh no! Was that Lory, actually?! On a boat!? Surely, she wasn't participating. It was bad luck for women to go out to sea! Hey... The young stranger who had taught her to dance. Did Lory know him then? Anne looked away, lest he would see her and wave at her and someone would see. She had avoided getting in trouble by begging their neighbour not to tell her father and offering to mind her kids for her. She didn't think she would be as lucky a second time.

She didn't think much of it when Alice went away, but when she looked at Lory's boat again...

It had been code! Oh no, how wicked! How she would get in trouble! They all would once her father saw and got into one of his moods... Oh no... he had seen alright, and so had Tobias.

Anne's fingers covered her lips as she watched nervously.

They all looked so good on that boat though, Ellie, Lory, Chéri, the lady, and Alice... Alice was beaming! And Ellie looked so much healthier and prettier than last time Anne had seen her. For a moment, Anne wished she was bold and disobedient like Lory and Alice and that she too was on the boat.

When it left the harbour, she left her spot and ran for the pier, trying to push through the crowd to see what would happen. They were even ahead of her father!